Snow plow having a pneumatic lifting device for reducing the wear on the blade of the snow plow

ABSTRACT

A snow plow lifting device is operatively connected to a snow plow for selectively imparting a lifting force on the snow plow. This lifting force reduces the effective weight of the snow plow bearing on an underlying surface such as a roadway. Thus, during a snow plowing operation, this reduces the wear on a lower edge of a blade that forms a part of the snow plow.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to snow plows.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Snow plows include a blade that generally comprises a moldboard and, inmany instances, a lower trip board is formed across the lower edge ofthe moldboard. The snow plow is pivotally connected to a push frame thatis mounted to a vehicle or to another type of prime mover. A hydrauliccylinder and lift arm are typically operatively interconnected betweenthe push frame and the snow plow. This allows the snow plow to be movedback and forth between a lower snow plowing position and a raised travelposition.

Snow plows are typically heavy. When the lift arm is fully lowered, thetrip board or the lower edge of the blade engages and rests on anunderlying surface such as a roadway. Now the full weight of the snowplow is supported by the underlying surface. When the plow is operatedin this state, there is typically a rapid wear on the trip board or thelower edge of the blade. Some snow plow operators may raise the lift armsuch that the lower edge of the blade is disposed just above theunderlying surface. But still the blade is subject to shock and wearbecause of irregularities and undulations in the underlying surface.

Therefore, there is a need for a snow plow control system that reducesthe grinding action and resulting wear that takes place as the snow plowengages an underlying surface during the course of plowing snow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a snow plow having associated therewitha pneumatic or compressed air control system for reducing the effectiveweight of the snow plow when the snow plow is disposed in a lower snowplowing position.

In one embodiment, the pneumatic control system includes an air bladderor air springs that is operatively connected to a source of compressedair. The air bladder is also operatively associated with a lift arm thatis, in turn, operatively connected to the snow plow. By pressurizing theair bladder, the air bladder expands and raises the lift arm, which inturn exerts an upward force on the snow plow, reducing its effectiveweight on the underlying surface. This reduces friction generatedbetween the lower edge of the blade of the snow plow and the underlyingsurface and substantially reduces the wear on the blade of the snowplow.

In one particular embodiment, the air bladder or air springs issandwiched between a lower lift arm and an upper lift arm. The lowerlift arm is connected to a hydraulic cylinder, while the upper lift armis operatively connected to the snow plow. By actuating the hydrauliccylinder, the snow plow can be raised from a lower snow plowing positionto a raised travel position. That is, the hydraulic cylinder causes thelower lift arm to raise, which in turn engages the upper lift arm whichresults in the snow plow being raised. When the snow plow is disposed inthe lower snow plowing position, the pneumatic bladder is pressurized bya compressed air source and this causes the upper lift arm to raiserelative to the lower lift arm. Because the upper lift arm isoperatively connected to the snow plow, this means that the upwardmovement of the upper lift arm results in an upward force being exertedon the snow plow, which effectively reduces the weight of the snow plowon the underlying surface.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent and obvious from a study of the following description and theaccompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the snow plow of the presentinvention attached to a truck.

FIG. 1A is a schematic drawing illustrating the compressed air sourceson the truck.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a snow plow push frame having thepneumatic lifting device incorporated therein.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the snow plow attached to a pushframe.

FIG. 4A is a side elevational view for a pneumatic bladder sandwichedbetween the first and second lift arms with the lift arms being disposedin a lower position.

FIG. 4B is a view similar to FIG. 4A but showing the lift arms in anupper position.

FIG. 4C is a view similar to FIGS. 4A and 4B but with the lower lift armdisposed in the lower position and the upper lift arm being disposed inan intermediate position.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

With further reference to the drawings, particularly FIG. 1, the snowplow of the present invention is shown therein and indicated generallyby the numeral 10. Snow plow 10 is secured to a truck 12 and projectsforwardly therefrom. Snow plow 10 can assume various designs. Anexemplary snow plow design is shown in the drawings, but it isunderstood and appreciated that the present invention can beincorporated and used in virtually all snow plow designs. Thus, adetailed description of the snow plow 10 is not dealt with hereinbecause such snow plow designs are well known and appreciated by thoseskilled in the art. However, an overview of the snow plow 10 ispresented. Snow plow 10 includes a blade 14 and a blade carrier frameindicated generally by the numeral 16. Blade 14 typically includes amoldboard with stiffeners. In addition, blade 14 includes a lower bladeor cutting blade 14A that in operation typically engages an underlyingsurface such as a roadway. Also, in many conventional snow plow designs,there is provided a trip board secured to the lower edge of themoldboard that is spring loaded to release and pivot back when the snowplow engages an obstacle. In any event, one of the attributes andfeatures of the present invention is that the snow plow is provided witha control system for reducing the effective weight of the snow plow onthe underlying surface. By reducing the effective weight of the snowplow, the wear encountered by the lower blade or cutting blade 14A issubstantially reduced.

The frame structure that supports the blade 14 is referred to herein asa blade carrier frame. Like the snow plow 10, the carrier frame 16 canvary. In the embodiment illustrated herein, the blade 14 is pivotallymounted to the carrier frame 16. A double-acting hydraulic cylinder 18is mounted on the carrier frame 16 and is operatively connected to theblade 14. See FIG. 3. By actuating the hydraulic cylinder 18, anoperator can adjust the angle of the blade 14 about a transverse axisthat extends across the snow plow 10. Also, the blade carrier frame 16,in many snow plow designs, is provided with a reversing table thatenables the angle of the blade 14 to be reversed. That is, fromtime-to-time, it is desirable to be able to vary the angle of the bladefrom a right side orientation to a left side orientation.

Snow plow 10 is moveably mounted to a push frame indicated generally bythe numeral 20. In the embodiment illustrated herein, push frame 20 isattached to truck 12 and projects forwardly therefrom. Snow plow 10, inthe embodiment illustrated, is pivotally connected to a front portion ofthe push frame 20. This enables the snow plow 10 to pivot up and downwith respect to the push frame 20. In the drawings, one exemplaryembodiment of a push frame is shown. See FIG. 2. It is appreciated bythose skilled in the art that there are many different push framedesigns that enable a snow plow to be secured to a vehicle, tractor orother prime mover. The present invention is designed to be employed withany snow plow or push frame design. Although the design of the pushframe 20 may vary, it may be beneficial to briefly review the structureand function of the push frame 20 that is disclosed herein. Withreference to FIG. 2, the push frame 20 comprises a pair of main beams20A. There is also provided a pair of extension beams 20B that areadjustable with respect to the main beams 20A in order to accommodatedifferent vehicles. At the end of the extension beams 20B, there isprovided a cross-member and a U-shaped member 20C secured to thecross-member. U-shaped member 20C is designed to encompass or surround aportion of the front axle of the truck 12 in the embodiment illustratedherein.

Disposed about the front portion of the push frame 20 is a front liftframe. The front lift frame includes a base 20D and a pair of spacedapart column supports 20E projecting upwardly from the base. There is across-member 20F that extends across the upper portions of the columnsupports 20E. A transverse shaft 200 is mounted in the upper portions ofthe column supports 20E and extends transversely across an upper portionof the front lift frame. Disposed about the front lower portion of thepush frame 20 is a coupler 20H. Details of the coupler are not dealtwith herein because such is not per se material to the present inventionand such couplers are well known and appreciated by those skilled in theart. Coupler 20H is designed to be attached to the snow plow 10 in sucha manner that the snow plow is moveable up and down with respect to thepush frame 20.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a snow plow lift system is mounted to the frontof push frame 20. The snow plow lift system is indicated generally bythe numeral 30 and shown in detail in FIG. 2. Generally, the snow plowlift system includes a hydraulic system for raising and lowering thesnow plow 10. As will be described subsequently herein, the hydraulicsystem is primarily responsible for raising and lowering the snow plow10 between a lower snow plowing position and a raised travel position.In addition to the hydraulic system, there is provided a pneumatic orcompressed air control system for reducing the effective weight of thesnow plow 10 on an underlying surface such as a roadway. In particular,as will be discussed below, the pneumatic control system is operativewhen the snow plow assumes a lower snow plowing position to exert anupward force on the snow plow. This upward force effectively reduces theweight of the snow plow 10 and reduces the force and resulting frictionfrom the lower edge of the blade 14 engaging the underlying surfaceduring a snow plowing operation.

In one embodiment, these two systems can be consolidated to a degree.However, it should be pointed that in a preferred embodiment, thepneumatic control system for reducing the weight of the snow plow 10works and operates independently of the hydraulic control system.Expressed in another way, in a preferred embodiment, the hydrauliccontrol system is used for raising and lowering the snow plow 10 but isnot utilized in controlling the weight of the snow plow when plowingsnow.

With particular reference to FIGS. 1-3, there is provided adouble-acting hydraulic cylinder 32 that is mounted on the front liftframe of the push frame 20. The hydraulic cylinder 32 includes a rod endthat is pivotally connected to an outer end of a first lift arm 34. Thefirst lift arm 34 is also referred to as a lower lift arm and ispivotally connected to the transverse shaft 200 extending across theupper portion of the front lift frame. It should be pointed out that thehydraulic cylinder 32 can be operatively integrated into varioushydraulic systems. In one embodiment, the truck 12 may include its ownhydraulic system and the hydraulic cylinder 32 described herein can beappropriately integrated into the hydraulic system of the truck 12.

Overlying the first lift arm 34 is a second or upper lift arm 36. Thesecond lift arm 36 is also pivotally connected to the transverse shaft20. See FIGS. 4A-4C.

Sandwiched between the first and second lift arms 34 and 36 is apneumatic or air bladder 38. Pneumatic bladder 38 is sometimes referredto as an air spring. As used herein, the terms “air spring”, “pneumaticbladder”, and “air bladder” are interchangeable terms and mean the same.The pneumatic bladder 38 is extendable and retractable. This isaccomplished by directing a system of compressed air into the airbladder 38 which will have the effect of causing the air bladder toextend or expand. Details of the air bladder or air springs 38 are notdealt with herein because air springs are well known and appreciated inthe prior art. Generally, however, air springs or air bladders areemployed through the use of an air compressor which fills and emptiesthe pliable air bladder that forms the air springs. The load is usuallynot distributed to the rubber liner which only serves to contain theair. The weight is typically carried by a piston or a bead plate whichis directly supported by the air in the bladder. Again, it should bestated that various types of air springs or pneumatic bladders can beemployed in connection with controlling the weight of the snow plow whenthe snow plow assumes the lower snow plowing position. Moreparticularly, the pneumatic bladder 38 is supported on the first liftarm and extends therefrom to where it directly or indirectly engages theupper lift arm 36. Therefore, it is appreciated that directingcompressed air into the pneumatic bladder 38 and increasing the pressureof the air would cause the air bladder to extend and, therefore in thiscase, causes the second or upper lift arm 36 to raise and move relativeto the lower or first lift arm 34.

A connector 40 is connected to the outer terminal end portion of theupper lift arm 36. This connector 40 extends downwardly and connects tothe snow plow 10. Thus, it is appreciated that raising the upper liftarm 36 will result in the snow plow 10 being raised. Likewise, loweringthe upper lift arm 36 will result in the snow plow 10 being lowered.

As discussed above, the air bladder 38 is powered by compressed air. Theair bladder 38 may be connected to various sources of compressed air. Inthe exemplary embodiment illustrated herein, the air bladder 38 ispowered by a compressed air source from the truck 12. As shown in FIG.1A, the truck 12, in this example, includes two separate sources ofcompressed air. There is a main compressed air source 42 that isemployed to power the brakes of the truck. There is an auxiliary orsupplemental compressed air source 44 that is used to power or driveother compressed air consumables on the truck. For example, theauxiliary compressed air source 44 is used to power the horn of thetruck. In the exemplary design disclosed herein, the auxiliarycompressed air source 44 on the truck 12 is employed to power thepneumatic bladder or air springs 38. As seen in FIG. 1A, a compressedair line 46 leads from the auxiliary compressed air source 44 to a mainon/off valve 48. Downstream of the on/off valve 48 is an air pressureregulator 50. Downstream of the air pressure regulator 50 is the airbladder or air springs 38. It should be pointed out that the on/offvalve 48, as well as the air pressure regulator 50, can be located invarious locations. In one exemplary embodiment, both the on/off valve 48and the air pressure regulator 50 is disposed in the cab of the truck 12where they can be easily accessed by the operator.

FIG. 4A illustrates a mode of operation where the snow plow 10 isdisposed in a lower snow plowing position. In this mode, the rod of thehydraulic cylinder 32 is retracted and the first or lower lift arm 34 isdisposed in its lowermost position. The air bladder 38 is generallycollapsed and the upper or second lift arm 36 is supported and engagedwith the lower lift arm 34. As stated before, this results in the snowplow 10 being disposed in its lower snow plowing position and the loweredge of the blade 14A is engaged with the underlying surface or at leastvery close to the underlying surface.

During a snow plowing operation, the present invention envisionsreducing the effective weight of the snow plow 10 in order to reduce thewear on the lower edge of the blade 14A of the snow plow. This isachieved by pressurizing the air bladder 38. See FIG. 4C. Note that thelower lift arm 34 remains in its lowermost position. By directingpressurized air into the air bladder 38, this causes the upper lift arm36 to raise with respect to the lower lift arm 34. Because the upperlift arm 36 is connected to the snow plow 10 via the flexible connectors40, it follows that, by inflating and expanding the air bladder 38, theupper lift arm 36 at least indirectly exerts a lifting force on the snowplow 10 while it is in the lower snow plowing position. The idea here isto reduce the effective weight of the snow plow bearing against theunderlying surface. That is, the concept here is to provide a conditionthat effectively reduces the force of the snow plow on the underlyingsurface. Effectively, a portion of the weight of the snow plow is beingtransferred to the air bladder 38. For example, assume that a snow plowhas a weight in the range of 1,000-1,500 lbs. By energizing the airbladder 38 and providing a lifting force on the snow plow, the effectiveweight of the snow plow, in one example, can be reduced to approximately300-500 lbs. This will make a substantial difference in the resultingwear on the lower edge of the blade 14. It will be appreciated that, byemploying the air pressure regulator 50, the amount of upward liftingforce applied to the snow plow 10 can be varied.

The snow plow lifting system, shown and described above, can be utilizedto raise the snow plow 10 from the lower snow plowing position to araised travel position. This is illustrated in FIG. 4B. Prior to raisingthe snow plow 10 to the upper travel position, the air bladder 38 isdeflated, causing the upper lift arm 36 to move downwardly intoengagement with the lower lift arm 34. This is the position shown inFIG. 4A. Now the hydraulic cylinder 32 can be extended, as shown in FIG.4B, and this results in the snow plow 10 being raised to the uppertravel position.

There are many advantages to the pneumatic control system discussedabove and shown in the drawings. First, the pneumatic control system issimple and relatively inexpensive to employ. It does not employcomplicated and expensive hydraulic components and hydraulic circuitry.A further advantage of the pneumatic or compressed air control systemover a hydraulic system is that hydraulics are rigid and do not have theflexibility or shock absorbing properties of an air system. This causesinefficiencies in the hydraulics as the hydraulics try to keep up withvarying road surface changes, which uses engine horsepower andunnecessarily works the hydraulic system. With the pneumatic controlsystem disclosed herein, it is easy to use the pressure regulator 50 todial in the amount of blade weight on the underlying surface. Asdiscussed above, the pressure regulator 50 and the main on/off controlvalve 48 is located in the truck cab convenient to the operation.Hydraulic systems do not have that advantage. In addition, the pneumaticsystem disclosed herein is easy to retrofit and adapt to existing snowplows. Overall, the pneumatic system results in less friction betweenthe blade of the snow plow and the underlying surface, and in the end,is flexible and forgiving.

The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other ways thanthose specifically set forth herein without departing from essentialcharacteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are to beconsidered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and allchanges coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appendedclaims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A snow removing apparatus configured to mount toa push frame attached to a vehicle, the snow removing apparatuscomprising: a snow plow including a blade; a hydraulic actuatoroperatively connected to the snow plow for raising and lowering the snowplow and for moving the snow plow up and down between a snow plowingposition and a raised travel position; a pneumatic bladder associatedwith the snow plow and configured to be operatively connected to asource of compressed air, the pneumatic bladder being expandable andretractable; and the pneumatic bladder operative to exert a liftingforce on the snow plow when the snow plow is disposed in the snowplowing position wherein the lifting force reduces the weight of thesnow plow.
 2. The snow removing apparatus of claim 1 including a liftarm operatively connected to the snow plow; and wherein the pneumaticbladder is supported under the lift arm and is operative to expand andpush the lift arm upwardly, resulting in the lifting force being exertedon the snow plow.
 3. The snow removing apparatus of claim 1 wherein thepneumatic bladder is sandwiched between first and second lift arms andwherein the second lift arm is operatively connected to the snow plowand the first lift arm is connected to the hydraulic actuator; andwherein actuation of the pneumatic bladder causes the second lift arm tomove relative to the first lift arm.
 4. The snow removing apparatus ofclaim 3 wherein the first and second lift arms are configured to bemoveably mounted to the push frame attached to the vehicle.
 5. The snowremoving apparatus of claim 1 including a pressure regulator operativelyassociated with the pneumatic bladder for controlling the air pressurewithin the pneumatic bladder wherein increasing the air pressure in thebladder causes the bladder to expand and exert the lifting force on thesnow plow.
 6. The snow removing apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:an upper lift arm configured to be moveably mounted to the push frame; alower lift arm configured to be moveably mounted to the push frame;wherein the pneumatic bladder is sandwiched between the upper and lowerlift arms; a connector operatively connecting the upper lift arm to thesnow plow; wherein the hydraulic actuator is operatively connected tothe lower lift arm; wherein the hydraulic actuator is operative to raisethe snow plow by raising the lower lift arm which engages and raises theupper lift arm which in turn raises the snow plow; and wherein thepneumatic bladder is operative to effectively reduce the weight of thesnow plow by expanding between the upper and lower lift arms and causingthe upper lift arm to at least slightly elevate relative to the lowerlift arm.
 7. A snow removing apparatus adapted to be connected to avehicle comprising: a push frame configured to be mounted to thevehicle; a snow plow moveably mounted to the push frame and moveable upand down relative to the push frame; the snow plow comprising a blade; ahydraulic cylinder operatively connected between the push frame and thesnow plow for raising and lowering the snow plow with respect to thepush frame and for moving the snow plow between a lower snow plowingposition and an upper travel position; and a pneumatic lift deviceassociated with the snow plow and configured to be connected to a sourceof compressed air, the pneumatic lift device being operatively connectedto the snow plow and providing a lifting force that is independent ofthe hydraulic cylinder to the snow plow and effectively reducing theweight of the snow plow when in the snow plowing position so as toreduce the force of the snow plow on an underlying surface when the snowplow is being employed to plow snow.
 8. The snow removing apparatus ofclaim 7 including a pressure regulator associated with the pneumaticlift device and wherein the pressure regulator is operative to increasethe air pressure in the pneumatic lift device which causes the pneumaticlift device to exert an upward force on the snow plow.
 9. The snowremoving apparatus of claim 7 including a lift arm assembly and whereinboth the hydraulic cylinder and pneumatic lift device are associatedwith the lift arm assembly such that both raising and lowering the snowplow via the hydraulic cylinder and exerting a lifting action on thesnow plow by the pneumatic lift device is performed through the lift armassembly.
 10. The snow removing apparatus of claim 7 including first andsecond lift arms with the first lift arm being operatively connected tothe hydraulic cylinder and the second lift arm being operativelyconnected to the snow plow; and wherein the hydraulic cylinder isoperative to raise and lower the snow plow through both the first andsecond lift arms and wherein the pneumatic lift device is operative toraise the second lift arm with respect to the first lift arm and causean upward force to be exerted on the snow plow independently of thehydraulic cylinder.
 11. The snow removing apparatus of claim 10 whereinthe pneumatic lift device is operatively connected between the first andsecond lift arms and is operative to raise the second lift arm withrespect to the first lift arm.
 12. The snow removing apparatus of claim7 including a truck having the push frame connected thereto; and whereinthe truck includes a compressed air source for brakes and an auxiliarycompressed air source and wherein the auxiliary compressed air source ofthe truck is operatively connected to the pneumatic lift device forsupplying compressed air thereto.
 13. The snow removing apparatus ofclaim 12 including a pressure regulator operatively connected betweenthe auxiliary compressed air source and the pneumatic lift device forcontrolling the air pressure to the pneumatic lift device.
 14. A methodof raising and lowering a snow plow and reducing the effective weight ofthe snow plow when in a slow plowing position, the method comprising:raising and lowering the snow plow with a hydraulic cylinder includingemploying the hydraulic cylinder to lower the snow plow to a snowplowing position where a blade of the snow plow engages an underlyingsurface or terminates in close proximity to the underlying surface andemploying the hydraulic cylinder to raise the snow plow from the snowplowing position to a raised travel position; employing a pneumaticlifting device to reduce the wear on the blade of the snow plow; andwhile the snow plow is in the snow plowing position, pressurizing thepneumatic lifting device and causing the pneumatic lifting device todirectly or indirectly exert an upward lifting force, independently ofthe hydraulic cylinder, on the snow plow and effectively reduce theweight of the snow plow.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein thepneumatic lifting device comprises a pneumatic bladder that expands andthe method includes causing the pneumatic bladder to expand and raise alift arm that is operatively connected to the snow plow.
 16. The methodof claim 14 wherein only a fraction of the weight of the snow plow isreduced by the lifting device.
 17. The method of claim 14 wherein thesnow plow is connected to a truck having a main compressed air sourceoperatively connected to brakes of the truck and an auxiliary compressedair source, and wherein the method includes connecting the auxiliarycompressed air source of the truck to the pneumatic lifting device andemploying compressed air from the auxiliary compressed air source of thetruck to actuate the pneumatic lifting device.
 18. The method of claim14 wherein the pneumatic lifting device comprises a pneumatic bladdersandwiched between first and second lift arms with the second lift armbeing operatively connected to the snow plow and the first lift armbeing operatively connected to the hydraulic cylinder; and the methodincludes raising the snow plow by actuating the first lift arm with thehydraulic cylinder and causing the first lift arm to engage the secondlift arm and to lift the second lift arm, causing the snow plow to beraised; and lowering the snow plow to the snow plowing position andpressurizing the pneumatic bladder sandwiched between the first andsecond lift arms and raising the second lift arm independently of thehydraulic cylinder and causing the second lift arm to directly orindirectly exert a lifting force on the snow plow that reduces theeffective weight of the snow plow.